Equipment Support Cabinet with Slide-Out Top and Sliding Drawer

ABSTRACT

A cabinet for supporting items on its top and removably supporting other items underneath the top. The cabinet has an open-front base assembly having two generally vertical side panels and defining an interior volume between the side panels, and a top assembly coupled to and slidable relative to the base assembly. The top assembly has a top shelf member and a top shelf member support structure coupled to the top shelf member to support the top shelf member. The top assembly is adapted to be moved from a stowed position in which the top shelf member is over the two side panels of the base assembly, to an open position in which the top shelf member is at least partially removed from its position over the two side panels of the base assembly, to allow top access into the interior volume of the base assembly. The cabinet also has a drawer assembly slidably received within the base assembly and including a lower shelf. The drawer assembly is adapted to be located such that its support surface is within the base assembly interior volume in a stowed position, and such that the lower shelf is at least partially removable from the cabinet base assembly interior volume into an open position, to provide access to the lower shelf from the front of the cabinet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 60/780,960 filed on Mar. 10, 2006, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a storage cabinet with a slide-out drawer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is sometimes necessary to access the inside of a cabinet from boththe front and the top, or access the back of the cabinet, whilerelatively heavy or unwieldy items are located on the top. In suchcases, it is often necessary to remove the items from the top. This canbe difficult or even dangerous. In cases of scientific equipment that isoperating both on the top and inside of the cabinet, it may be necessaryto unhook the equipment and interrupt an ongoing process in order toprovide such access.

One example is the use of the equipment needed for High PerformanceLiquid Chromatography (HPLC). Typically, the HPLC unit is placed on alab bench, with the necessary liquid waste container (often times afive-gallon container that can weigh about 50 pounds when full) locatedunderneath the bench. In order to empty the waste container, the userneeds to bend and stoop; this can be physically dangerous. Also, inorder to service or otherwise access the back side of the HPLCequipment, it can be necessary to move the equipment and/or disconnectportions of it, which can be difficult, time consuming, and interruptsequipment operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a cabinet in which the topcan be moved out from the base, to provide access to the inside of thecabinet from the top, and/or in which the inside can be accessed withoutmoving the top by sliding out a front-accessible drawer.

This invention features a cabinet for supporting items on its top andremovably supporting other items underneath the top. The cabinet has anopen-front base assembly having two generally vertical side panels anddefining an interior volume between the side panels, and a top assemblycoupled to and slidable relative to the base assembly. The top assemblyhas a top shelf member and a top shelf member support structure coupledto the top shelf member to support the top shelf member. The topassembly is adapted to be moved from a stowed position in which the topshelf member is over the two side panels of the base assembly, to anopen position in which the top shelf member is at least partiallyremoved from its position over the two side panels of the base assembly,to allow top access into the interior volume of the base assembly. Thecabinet also has a drawer assembly slidably received within the baseassembly and including a lower shelf. The drawer assembly is adapted tobe located such that its support surface is within the base assemblyinterior volume in a stowed position, and such that the lower shelf isat least partially removable from the cabinet base assembly interiorvolume into an open position, to provide access to the lower shelf fromthe front of the cabinet.

The cabinet is preferably free-standing, and may be mobile or not. Thedrawer assembly support member may comprise a generally horizontal lowershelf that is preferably located close to the bottom of the baseassembly so that most of the interior volume is available to store itemslocated on the shelf, such as the waste container of an HPLC system. Thebase assembly may define an open front between the side panels thatreceives the drawer assembly in its stowed position. The base assemblymay further comprise two spaced horizontal slides, one proximate the topof each side panel. The top shelf member is preferably coupled to theslides, to allow the top assembly to be slid between its stowed and openpositions. The base assembly may further comprise front and rearhorizontal supports that are coupled to the side panels and that supportthe slides.

The top shelf member has a front edge, and the top assembly supportstructure may be coupled to the top shelf member proximate its frontedge. The top assembly support structure may comprise left and rightessentially vertical support members, which may define a front open areathat accepts the drawer assembly in its stowed position. The left andright essentially vertical support members may each carry a caster attheir lower ends, to allow the top assembly to be rolled between itsstowed and open positions. The top shelf member is preferably generallyhorizontal, and slidingly engaged with the base assembly.

Featured in a more specific embodiment is a cabinet for supporting itemson its top and removably supporting other items underneath the top, thecabinet comprising an open-front base assembly having two generallyvertical side panels, and defining an interior volume between the sidepanels that communicates with an open front between the side panels, thebase assembly further comprising two spaced horizontal slides, oneproximate the top of each side panel, a rolling and sliding top assemblycoupled to and slidable relative to the slides of the base assembly, thetop assembly comprising left and right essentially vertical supportmembers each carrying a caster at a lower end and supporting a generallyhorizontal top shelf member at an upper end, the top shelf membercoupled to the slides of the base assembly, the top assembly adapted tobe slid from a stowed position in which the top shelf member is over thetwo side panels of the base assembly, to an open position in which thetop shelf member is at least partially removed from its position overthe two side panels of the base assembly, to allow top access into theinterior volume of the base assembly, and a drawer assembly slidablyreceived within the base assembly and comprising a support surface, thedrawer assembly adapted to be located such that its support surface iswithin the base assembly interior volume in a stowed position, and suchthat the support surface is at least partially removable from thecabinet base assembly interior volume into an open position, to provideaccess to the support surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled inthe art from the following description of the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive cabinetwith the drawer in the open position and the top assembly in the stowedposition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view, but with the drawer stowed and the topassembly slid forward to the open position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the cabinet shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of theinvention, in which the cabinet is mobile through the provision of lowerwheels;

FIGS. 5-8 are more detailed views of several components of the cabinetshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of theinvention which is not mobile; and

FIG. 9B is a more detailed view of a component of the cabinet shown inFIG. 9A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This invention may be accomplished in a cabinet for supporting items onits top and removably supporting other items underneath the top. Thecabinet has an open-front base assembly having two generally verticalside panels and defining an interior volume between the side panels, anda top assembly coupled to and slidable relative to the base assembly.The top assembly has a top shelf member and a top shelf member supportstructure coupled to the top shelf member to support the top shelfmember. The top assembly is adapted to be moved from a stowed positionin which the top shelf member is over the two side panels of the baseassembly, to an open position in which the top shelf member is at leastpartially removed from its position over the two side panels of the baseassembly, to allow top access into the interior volume of the baseassembly. The cabinet also has a drawer assembly slidably receivedwithin the base assembly and including a lower shelf. The drawerassembly is adapted to be located such that its support surface iswithin the base assembly interior volume in a stowed position, and suchthat the lower shelf is at least partially removable from the cabinetbase assembly interior volume into an open position, to provide accessto the lower shelf from the front of the cabinet.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. Cabinet 10comprises cabinet base assembly 14, top assembly 60, and slide-outdrawer assembly 12. Open-front base assembly 14 comprises left sidepanel 15, right side panel 16, left front support pillar 42 and rightfront support pillar 44. Drawer assembly 12 includes door 20 with doorhandle 21, lower shelf 22, and may include optional glass panel 23 forapplications in which it is useful to be able to see inside the cabinetwhen the drawer is closed. Drawer assembly 12 slides in and out relativeto base 14 on drawer slides 24 a and 24 b, one on the inside of each ofbase side panels 15 and 16, respectively. Equipment or other itemssupported on shelf 22 can be accessed by sliding drawer assembly 12 fromthe closed or stowed position shown in FIG. 2 to the open position shownin FIG. 1.

Top assembly 60 comprises top shelf member 30 that is supported at itsfront end by top shelf member support structure 36 that includes topshelf member support 37 to which the front of top shelf member 30 isattached. Support structure 36 comprises left front support member 32with caster 33 at its lower end, and right front support member 34 withcaster 35 at its lower end, and handle 31. Drawer slides 52 a and 52 bare coupled to the top of cabinet base 14, and slidingly support andengage top member 30. Together with casters 33 and 35, this allows topassembly 60 to be slid/rolled forward, which causes top member 60 to beslid from a stowed position as shown in FIG. 1 to an open position shownin FIG. 2. The top sliding action allows access to the inside of cabinetbase 14 while drawer 12 is closed, and without requiring access to theback of the cabinet. Slides 52 a and 52 b are supported in a horizontalposition by horizontal front and rear supports 51 and 53, respectively.Support 53 is coupled to rear vertical supports 54 and 55 that areattached to panels 15 and 16, respectively. Support 51 is coupled topillars 42 and 44.

FIGS. 4-8 depict a preferred embodiment of the invention. Inventivecabinet 100 is mobile through the inclusion of casters such as caster107 that are coupled to base tray member 104 through the provision ofreceiving openings such as opening 105. Because cabinet 100 can be movedaway from a wall, access to the back of equipment placed on top 106 canbe accomplished without the need for a sliding top. Thus, top 106 isfixed. Access to the inside is again provided by means of a slidingdrawer 108 that is coupled to the open front 114 of base assembly boxmember 102, which may also have an open back side (not shown) to provideaccess into the cabinet from the back. Member 102 carries drawer slides116 and 118 (and a corresponding set of two drawer slides on the rightside of member 102, not shown in the drawings) that engage with drawer108 and extending/retracting sliding keyboard tray 110, respectively.Tray 110 has keyboard-retaining surface 122; this allows the provisionof an operator interface to electronic equipment located on top of andinside of cabinet 100.

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict another preferred embodiment of the invention.Cabinet 150 is fixed rather than mobile and comprises open front andback base assembly box member 151 that receives slide-out drawer 152with pull-handle 153. Drawer 152 is essentially identical to drawer 12,FIG. 1 and drawer 108, FIG. 4. In this embodiment, top member 156 thatcarries top shelf member 154 slides out from member 151 through handle158, but it does not include the front support members 32 and 34 of theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. Rather, top member 156 comprises supportmember 160, FIG. 9B, to which top shelf 154 is attached. Member 160 hasextensions 162 and 164 that both support top shelf 154 and are engagedwith two drawer slides (not shown in these drawings) that are coupled tothe top of member 151, much as slides 52 a and 52 b, FIG. 1, are coupledto the top of top member support structure 36. This allows member 160 toslide out and in relative to member 151, and as member 160 carries topshelf 154, any items placed on shelf 154 are movable in and out relativeto base member 151. This achieves the same objectives as the embodimentof FIGS. 1-3 without the need for the front rolling supports of thatembodiment. This embodiment is the preferred design, unless theinventive cabinet needs to carry a large amount of weight on its top, inwhich case the front support members of the FIG. 103 embodiment may bepreferred.

The invention allows a cabinet that has items on its top and itemsinside the cabinet to be placed against a wall, and still allow accessto the inside, with disturbing the items placed on the top. Also, anyitems located inside the cabinet can be accessed from the front, withoutthe cabinet sides impeding such access. These features together provideextreme flexibility of use of the inventive cabinet. For example,scientific equipment such as an HPLC unit can be placed on the top, withthe necessary waste container located inside, on the drawer shelf. Theuser can access the waste container in order to empty it by pulling outthe drawer; there is no need to reach over a cabinet side (which can bephysically dangerous), or to disconnect the HPLC in any manner.Similarly, the back side of the HPLC and the inside of the cabinet canbe accessed without the need to move the HPLC, by either moving thecabinet away from the wall, or by sliding the top assembly out from thefront of the base.

Although specific features of the invention are shown in some figuresand not others, this is for convenience only, as some features may becombined with any or all of the other features in accordance with theinvention.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as ashorthand method of referring individually to each separate valuefalling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and eachseparate value is incorporated into the specification as if it wereindividually recited herein.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein, is intended merely to better illustrate the inventionand does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention.

A variety of modifications to the embodiments described herein will beapparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure providedherein. Thus, the invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof.

1. A cabinet for supporting items on its top and removably supportingother items underneath the top, the cabinet comprising: an open-frontbase assembly having two generally vertical side panels and defining aninterior volume between the side panels; a top assembly coupled to andslidable relative to the base assembly, the top assembly comprising atop shelf member and a top shelf member support structure coupled to thetop shelf member to support the top shelf member, the top assemblyadapted to be moved from a stowed position in which the top shelf memberis over the two side panels of the base assembly, to an open position inwhich the top shelf member is at least partially removed from itsposition over the two side panels of the base assembly, to allow topaccess into the interior volume of the base assembly; and a drawerassembly slidably received within the base assembly and comprising asupport surface, the drawer assembly adapted to be located such that itssupport surface is within the base assembly interior volume in a stowedposition, and such that the support surface is at least partiallyremovable from the cabinet base assembly interior volume into an openposition, to provide access to the support surface.
 2. The cabinet ofclaim 1 in which the cabinet is free-standing.
 3. The cabinet of claim 1in which the base assembly defines an open front between the side panelsthat receives the drawer assembly in its stowed position.
 4. The cabinetof claim 1 in which the base assembly further comprises two spacedhorizontal slides, one proximate the top of each side panel.
 5. Thecabinet of claim 4 in which the top shelf member is coupled to theslides, to allow the top assembly to be slid between its stowed and openpositions.
 6. The cabinet of claim 5 in which the base assembly furthercomprises front and rear horizontal supports that are coupled to theside panels and that support the slides.
 7. The cabinet of claim 1 inwhich the top shelf member has a front edge, and the top assemblysupport structure is coupled to the top shelf member proximate its frontedge.
 8. The cabinet of claim 7 in which the top assembly supportstructure comprises left and right essentially vertical support members.9. The cabinet of claim 8 in which the left and right essentiallyvertical support members define a front open area that accepts thedrawer assembly in its stowed position.
 10. The cabinet of claim 8 inwhich the left and right essentially vertical support members each carrya caster, to allow the top assembly to be rolled between its stowed andopen positions.
 11. The cabinet of claim 1 in which the top shelf memberis generally horizontal and is slidingly engaged with the base assembly.12. The cabinet of claim 1 in which the drawer assembly support surfacecomprises a generally horizontal lower shelf.
 13. The cabinet of claim12 in which when the drawer assembly is in the stowed position the lowershelf is close to the bottom of the interior volume of the baseassembly, so that most of the volume is available to hold items locatedon the shelf.
 14. A cabinet for supporting items on its top andremovably supporting other items underneath the top, the cabinetcomprising: an open-front base assembly having two generally verticalside panels, and defining an interior volume between the side panelsthat communicates with an open front between the side panels, the baseassembly further comprising two spaced horizontal slides, one proximatethe top of each side panel; a rolling and sliding top assembly coupledto and slidable relative to the slides of the base assembly, the topassembly comprising left and right essentially vertical support memberseach carrying a caster at a lower end and supporting a generallyhorizontal top shelf member at an upper end, the top shelf membercoupled to the slides of the base assembly, the top assembly adapted tobe slid from a stowed position in which the top shelf member is over thetwo side panels of the base assembly, to an open position in which thetop shelf member is at least partially removed from its position overthe two side panels of the base assembly, to allow top access into theinterior volume of the base assembly; and a drawer assembly slidablyreceived within the base assembly and comprising a support surface, thedrawer assembly adapted to be located such that its support surface iswithin the base assembly interior volume in a stowed position, and suchthat the support surface is at least partially removable from thecabinet base assembly interior volume into an open position, to provideaccess to the support surface.
 15. The cabinet of claim 14 in which thecabinet is free-standing.
 16. The cabinet of claim 15 in which in whichthe base assembly further comprises front and rear horizontal supportsthat are coupled to the side panels and that support the slides.
 17. Thecabinet of claim 16 in which the top shelf member has a front edge, andthe left and right essentially vertical support members are coupled tothe top shelf member proximate its front edge.
 18. The cabinet of claim17 which the left and right essentially vertical support members definea front open area that accepts the drawer assembly in its stowedposition.
 19. A cabinet for supporting items on its top and removablysupporting other items underneath the top, the cabinet comprising: arolling, open-front base assembly having two generally vertical sidepanels and defining an interior volume between the side panels; a topshelf member carried by the base assembly; and a drawer assemblyslidably received within the base assembly and comprising a supportsurface, the drawer assembly adapted to be located such that its supportsurface is within the base assembly interior volume in a stowedposition, and such that the support surface is at least partiallyremovable from the cabinet base assembly interior volume into an openposition, to provide access to the support surface.
 20. The cabinet ofclaim 19 in which when the drawer assembly is in the stowed position thesupport surface is close to the bottom of the interior volume of thebase assembly, so that most of the volume is available to hold itemslocated on the support surface.